Announcements <7:30 PM CST - schu>

• GTA World 2000 has a new URL and can now be found at home.beseen.com/technology/gtaworld.  Graham also sent word that this weekend's GTA chat has been canceled.  You can contact Graham via email at gta_hawaii@hotmail.com.
• The Miracle Maker site has been moved off of Angelfire's servers to avoid the BS popup, but you can you can still access the site via the www.miraclemaker.tsx.org URL.
   

Site Updates <7:30 PM CST - schu>
Not much going on today... Still no word from the grandtheftauto.com host, but I'll keep at it.  Oh well, I'm off to play some GTA and then I'm going to set fire to the cars parked in front of my apartment :).

So what does all this mean?  To tell you the truth I really don't know.  G! has pretty much replaced GOURANGA! and was suppose to be the next incarnation of GOURANGA!.  Unfortunately at the time ASC wasn't willing to hand over the grandtheftauto.com domain name and they didn't want to close the site.  So rather than stop updating GOURANGA! I just mirrored the updates from G!.  Ideally I'd like to put a placer page up at grandtheftauto.com to let people know what's happened but I doubt that will be possible.  Anyway, all this just serves to inform that G! now officially stands for GOURANGA! (believe it or not couldn't officially say this until now :) ).

To close this eulogy, here is a little background.  I opened GOURANGA! in 1997 on my student account and at the time its main competition was a site named GTA UK Style.  Actually GTA UK Style sort of got me into this because they didn't update regularly so I decided to open my own site.  Later I joined up with ASC Games and created the bastardized/corporate GOURANGA! but I have to admit that the ASC Games did a good job getting a lot of GTA fans online.  In August I broke away from ASC and reworked the site once again in the form of G!.  At its height GOURANGA! was at the 3.5 million hit mark but typically it hovered around 2.5 million.  Even in its final days it was still bringing in well over 1 million hits per month.  Personally I plan on sticking with GTA until the bitter end and as some of you may recall, the scene has "died" on a few occasions and always seems to make a come back.  I prefer to say the scene is hibernating :) (maybe I'm just in denial).  Lets just hope GTA3D has the same spark that GTA did, and some decent multiplayer wouldn't hurt either :).

Announcements <8:40 PM CST - schu>

• I forgot to add Johan's email address to the update yesterday on his GTA E-zine.  If you wish to help out with the zine, contact him at gtacmc@crosswinds.net.
• theshit has revamped the design of his GTA site, GODofGTA.

  
Project News <8:40 PM CST - schu>

• GTA Hawaii
  Bramus sent word that the GTA Hawaii Project site has been launched.  You can check it out at www.gta-hawaii.f2s.com.

Warped Now Hosting <8:00 PM CST - schu>
Warped aka GTA Plus now features website hosting with the following features:

• Unlimited web space
• Unlimited ftp space
• subdomain ( yourname.gtaplus.com )
• Email ( yourname@gtaplus.com )
• Fast T3 servers
• Cgi, php3, perl, mySQL, asp, frontpage extensions etc.

The cost of hosting is rather low, in fact its free and you are only asked to post a banner and two buttons on  your site in return for the hosting.

In other news, Warped is also looking for someone to help with news updates, check out www.gtaplus.com/jobs.htm for details.

GTA E-Zine <8:00 PM CST - schu>
Johan is preparing to set up an online GTA zine and he is looking for people to help run it.  Check out his announcement below:

"Interested in helping a new e-zine?

I'm starting GTA Custom Message Center - a zine for all our favorite game. I'll update it once a month, but later I'll try to update the site once a week.

I need sponsors, folk who's great at writing stuff about GTA and GTA2, folk who's ambition is to keep the GTA spirit alive, and at last but not at least folk who has news that may interest a broader GTA circle. The 3 best news will be put straight at the cover with a link directly to the corresponding site !!!
 

The goal with the zine?

• Read about GTA / GTA 2 and related stuff
• Download GTA / GTA 2 prefabs, cars, missions and maps
• Download and play GTA clones online
• Post tips & tricks
• Tell friends about your experience with GTA / GTA2
• Competitions
• Surprises
• Much much more.

and the address: www.board.to/cmc."

 
Violence In Video Games <8:00 PM CST - schu>
More on the violence in video games issue over at IGN if you care to read the article.

FreeBE <8:00 PM CST - schu>
I realize that this isn't quite GTA related, however there are a lot of GTA fans out there into OSes other than those created by Bill Gate's monopoly machine.  BeOS is one of these and its now completely free for personal use.  You can pick it up www.be.com/products/freebeos.

GTA Community Site Moves Forward <11:00 PM CST - schu>
pid has verified that the GTA Community Site is a sure thing, check out the full update:

"The community site is going ahead for sure. The first thing I'm gonna ask you all is: 

Are there any webmasters that would like to move their site to a new home? ALL sites big and small, good and bad are welcome to move in. However, space is limited, so what I'm gonna do is put only your first page up, and the rest of your site would remain under your current host.

And now for people who don't own a site: The GTA Community Site has a script that will generate a page for you.

Things it can do:

• Add Images
• Text
• Links
• Background
• Guestbook
• Message Board
• Counter
• Chat Room

There are many limitations, but it is not meant to be a full home page generator.  More like a fancy message board.  People or groups working on projects will post info on their page, their actions, and so on.  ANYBODY can click the "New Page" button and get a page, but if you want a whole page you must request it.

Content of the community site:
Many message boards, chat rooms, all for different topics
news & info about all hosted sites ..more to come once completed

How to help?
You got a site? Want it in the community site? then email me!
 

That's all for now, please direct all questions to my email..."

  
Community News <11:00 PM CST - schu>

• GTA Tanks
  "I've just finished a new section to my website, the Crane Index. It is a complete list of what you get at the docks/crusher in for every car in the GTA series. There are loads of other little additions to the site as well, including a new tank in San Andreas."

• AskGTA
  "1. The Site Has Had A Small Re-Vamp Due To Technical Reasons.
   
  2. I Have Added An Extensive Links Page With Well Over 100 Links And It's Still Under Construction.
   
  3. I Am Now Averaging 20 Hits A Day - Not Bad For An Under Construction Site.
   
  Note: 
  For All Those People Who keep Saying "It's A Bit Late To Open A GTA Site", Well It's Not Just GTA, It's GTA London, GTA 2 And GTA 3D - So Stop Criticizing."

 
Project News <11:00 PM CST - schu>

• Loaded! - Wanna Help Test It?
  pid is looking for some help testing his new GTA inspired project, Loaded, and he also sent in some details about the project, check it out:

  "Time for are few detailed details, don't you think?

  What is it exactly?
  Loaded is a gta / 2 website, but is also a game. I am not going to tell you what the content will be, but I will say it is VERY original, never, ever, seen before.  Hell, you don't even have to be a GTA fan, and you will like it. 

  There will be a lot of large files, far to big for your modem, or other connection to load.  So, you will need to download a few files first. 

  The main files will be on your HD, those files will be connected to the ones on the web making it truly interactive.  I think the first download is gonna be bout 5mb, so not too bad.

  When can we get it?
  Ummm, don't ask me, I only made it...

  There is a slight problem.  If the situation was normal, I'd say in about 1 month, but I am out of Britain right now, so I can't say...

  Beta Testers:
  schu has already kindly agreed to be one, but I need, say, 2 more - if you think you got what it takes, you can email me."

• GTA OZ - Coming Very Soon!
  Byron reports that GTA Oz is entering the final stretch and should be released "soon."  Check out his update below:

  "Don't you just love school...Between it and XCommand it's slowing the project right down... But don't worry - nearly all the single player missions are written! Just gotta change the co-ords for multiplayer and we'll have a green light. =) As for a release... 'Soon'. (I've had enough of promising target release dates which never become a reality)"

• GTA Hawaii - Back In Action & Looking For Help
  Bramus is reporting that he and Graham are reviving GTA Hawaii:

  "Yes, that's right, the GTA Hawaii project is back under development!  The website will be up by the end of this weekend and can be found @ www.gta-hawaii.f2s.com.  Graham is still the leader of the project (no, this is no rip-off, we have his approval).  The project now has two map makers: Bramus! (me) and Goldfish, but we are still looking for some decent mission.ini programmers and a sound maker.  Also, someone who would like to help making new textures and cars would come in very handy. 
  
  To contact us, send email to webmaster@gta-hawaii.f2s.com  and to gta-hawaii@hotmail.com
   

New GTA Sites <11:00 PM CST - schu>

• Tekno GTA
  www.geocities.com/teknogta/

Announcements <4:30 PM CST - schu>

• I've made a slight change to the GTA World 2000 update.  I initially forgot to post Graham's email address.  You can reach him at gta_hawaii@hotmail.com.  I've also added this to the update I posted on Wednesday.
   

Project News <4:30 PM CST - schu>

• Loaded - Quick Update
  pid hasn't got the Loaded site up and running yet, but if you check out the ENTER page at www.gta2wipeout.com you can catch a glimpse of the Loaded logo and a "very nice piece of artwork."  In a short while that image will be linked to the Loaded page.  In other news, pid also mentioned that he will have some new stuff for us on the GTA Community Site soon. 
   

Community News <4:30 PM CST - schu>

• Tiffany's Unofficial GTA Shrine
  "Tiffany?"
  "I'm still present!" 
  What's going on in the GTA scene? I mean, GTA2 was so kewl the one time I got to play it, and I thought people would be making things like crazy for it! But it seems as if everyone's turned into Elvis, walked into the street & been offed! Aiee... I've been getting new cars sent to me, but nowhere near as many as before, that's why I haven't really checked into G! for a news update lately, but Hippie Tiff is still alive & kickin'! Head on over to Tiffany's Unofficial Grand Theft Auto Shrine at www.hippietiff.com because I've added at least 25 new GTA1 cars since my last check in to G!

Announcements <11:30 PM CST - schu>

• everything4me has posted a topic on God of GTA's message board asking, "why is the GTA scene dying?"

Community News <11:30 PM CST - schu>

• GTA Tanks
  GTA Tanks passed the 1000 mark today! Just 3 weeks after launch. All the maps and PSX cheats have been up for ages now and I've just 'sound enhanced' the page (woo!). I'll have to go before my ego explodes though :-).

• GTA World 2000
  GTA WORLD 2000, Has total make over!

  New Features:

  • Files are now ready to be downloaded
  • New name (GTA World)
  • Possibly a new host
  • Guest book

Best of all a new live chat!  Starting in April I will host a new chat between 8pm and 8:30. Possibly 9pm. Please e-mail me for new details.

  
New GTA Sites <11:30 PM CST - schu>

• GTA Underground
  GTA Underground is currently looking for someone to help as a news updater.  If you would like to help out you should contact Sub at gtaunderground@post.com or simply reply to his post on Azz' message board

 "Valdez doesn't own the cars on his site. Should any of the original designers object to their cars being elsewhere, I'd be more than happy to remove them."

GTA Community Site <8:50 PM CST - schu>
pid is looking to resurrect the Community Site idea that went dormant when Klamy disappeared, here is pid's update:

"Do you remember Klamy?  Well yes we all do.  But where has he gone?  Anyway, I'm sure he is reading this.

Well he posted something on BBZilla awhile back about a GTA community site.  There was a good reaction so Klamy and I went about the task.  The GTA community site does in fact exist!  Its not finished but it is there.  When Klamy went, construction stopped. Klamy was the brains behind the script which was to generate you your own page within the site. I'm thinking about giving it a go and getting it finished.

For you people who don't know what its all about, well the site was to be a community site where all news, ideas, etc would be focused.  People, groups, etc would be able to get their own page, chat, and message board etc.  It would be a big area for the community to grow in.

Anyway, what do you think?  Well known members of the community are also welcome to email <ccom476073@aol.com> me, I'll be looking for help."

I'm right back in the thick of things, otherwise known as the wonderful land of controversy. OK, deep breath, and away we go.  I contacted Valdez a few mouths ago about resurrecting the old SACI. He never responded. I tried again  a few days ago. Still, no response. So I figure, well, if he cares this much about his site, I'll have to do something about it. I have taken ALL the cars from his site (they're not his - he can't complain) and put them on a new shrine-esque site. The Zaibatsu Automobile Emporium. ZAE. He can whinge all he likes (if he cares) but I just wanted to see all these lovely old motors get some publicity.

Anyways, www.planetmarc.co.uk/zae will be up and running by next weekend, so be prepared. Valdez, the challenge has been set. Resurrect the SACI, or the ZAE may do it for you. 

I can be contacted about this matter @ zae@planetmarc.co.uk 
 

Spacemonkey Signs Off <6:15 PM CST - schu>
Spacemonkey is "retiring" from the scene, but he will still be available at Thinktank for awhile.  Sorry to see you go Spacemonkey... Here is his sign off message:

Well folks we all know the gta scene is dying ,so I think its time I made my retirement,this is good-bye,however I'll still be hanging around,also my gta site <thinktank.niteshade.net> needs someone to run it whilst I'm not around the scene, email me <spacemonkey@niteshade.net> for details, I would also like to thank a few people for there help whilst I've been here, Teknics, Devil, GTA Jedi, Hughesie, Graham, Thug, Acid2000, Black Mechanic, Gunther, Stig, Loki, McGrath'ERZ, Slater, and everyone else that has helped etc,

well folks

bye

;-( 
sPacEmOnKey 
signing off
;-((
 

GTA Plus Warped <6:15 PM CST - schu>
Benjamin sent word that GTA Plus' latest design is up, check it out at www.gtaplus.com
 

Loaded <